Bolton v Chelsea preview

Chelsea will be hoping to climb the Premier League table against lowly Bolton at The Reebok on Sunday.

Trotters entertain Chelsea at The Reebok

Chelsea will be hoping to climb the Premier League table against lowly Bolton at The Reebok on Sunday.

The Blues are surprisingly down in 8th place this season having won only three of their eight league matches to date - resulting in a negative goal difference.

Although Bolton secured their place in the group stage of the Uefa Cup on Thursday, Sammy Lee will be keen to get their league campaign up and running.

Lee's side have only one three-point haul to their name, that coming against Reading back in August, and have gone four Premier League outings without a win.

However, Bolton do not have the best of records against The Blues having won just one of their last 13 meetings, while Chelsea have won on their last four trips to The Reebok without conceding.

Striker change

Nicolas Anelka is likely to be drafted in for Bolton, after emerging from the bench in midweek to head home Bolton's winner against Rabotnicki Kometal.

El-Hadji Diouf and Stelios Giannakopoulos both impressed as substitutes on Thursday and could well be given the nod by Lee against The Blues.

However, Bolton will be without Heidar Helguson (ankle), Jlloyd Samuel (hamstring) and Ricardo Vaz Te (knee) this weekend.

Changes

Chelsea first team coach Avram Grant will have to make at least two changes to the starting XI that secured an impressive midweek win at Valencia.

With midfielder Frank Lampard (thigh) and Michael Ballack (ankle) still out, Grant will be also be without Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel from the XI that emerged victorious from El Mestalla.

With Drogba and Mikel suspended, Andrei Shevchenko, Soloman Kalou and Claudio Pizarro will be vying to lead the line.

With Mikel unavailable due to his red card against Manchester United, former Reading man Steve Sidwell could well fill the midfield void.